Bowmore School Council Meeting Minutes - November 20, 2023
Monday, November 20, 2023, 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Participants in attendance: L. Anderson Vojdani, A. Maugham, L. Kvapil, C. Miller, J. Jew, L. Camps, S. Casimiro, L. Jarvis, J. Sadofsky, J. Dexter, M. Szybonska, A. Jamieson, N. Poissant, E. Albano, C. Deveall-Blane, K. Goustad, A. Winstl, J. Walter, S. Stepens, L. Perelman, B. Van Cul, J. Slemin, H. Ruddell, G. Chatzis, K. Flegas, J. Neveu
1. Welcome and Land Acknowledgement (6:00pm to 6:05pm)
2. Admin Team Updates (6:05pm to 6:50pm)
a. Principal’s Update - Georgia Chatzis
● Term 1 reports will come out in February
● Dec 12th winter concert - grades TBD
● Preparations for trips - Mr C. organziing jr. ski trip, intermediates will go to Snow Valley later on, also trips happening at the classroom level. All trips can be found on EMA
● Toy drive happened this past Saturday
● Bowmore Cares project - to ensure ALL children have access to trips and opportunities
● Admin still getting to know the school and students/families, and putting routines in place b. Safe and Caring Schools Committee - Jacquie Neveu (with Leah Anderson Vojdani)
● Committee comprised of students, parents, teachers and admin. Student consultation has begun. Early next week anonymous surveys will be sent to students, parents and teachers to get an idea of school climate.
3 parents will be selected to join committee. Ultimate goal to improve school - wellbeing and academic success. Survey will likely be repeated in May.
c. Bowmore Cares - Kosta Flegas (with Vasoula Vasilopoulos)
● 31 students being supported / 22 families. Supports field trips, groceries, winter holiday packages. Link on school cash online for families to donate. So far $1100 collected. School budget also covers these types of supports.
● School to pay outstanding balance of 12k for outdoor sign that was ordered last year
● Admin has been meeting with budget committee, which includes teachers. Admin will share GL to show where money is being allocated. Tables and chairs have been purchased, math text books. Final budget will be shared at the next meeting.
d. Pre-Submitted Caregiver Questions:
i. EQAO results and concerns around students not performing at their grade levels - G Chatzis and J. Neveu
● 2022-23 results - gr 3 math 50% at level 3&4, 49% in reading, 45% in writing - reading down by 10% from 2021-22. Grade 6 scores dropped in math by 10%, 7% drop in reading, 2% drop in writing
● Focus needs to be on early literacy.
● Grade 3 FI students only write math portion of EQAO, but in grade 6 they write everything
● Large swath of kids between grade 3-6 and 7-8 who are behind. Needs to be a school wide strategy, not just early intervention. Same urgency being placed on juniors needs to be placed on all students, across all grades - Sam Stephens
● K-3 team will bridge training to teachers in other divisions
● Will be reviewed further through School Improvement Plan - Sam S. and Claire will join SIP committee
● Sam S. will send inventory list of literacy supports that she put together last year
● Staff meetings are used for PD, some math PD has already happened this year ii. Vandalism and restricted bathroom access in the senior building
● Soap dispensers being knocked off (50x) - $40-50 each time
● School safety monitor Brandon (adult) - job is to walk hallways
● Bathrooms are being locked to deal with this issue, mostly in senior building, heritage side and 2nd washrooms are open, as are all gender neutral washrooms
● Student council will be raising funds via bake sale to pay for repairs
● Parent requests for all students to have lunch at the same time - school doesn’t have lunchroom supervisors or staff to support. Also helps with lunchroom safety to have split lunch times. - K. Flegas iii. Class re-organization and music and PE staff scheduling
● Didn’t anticipate 2 class re-orgs. Most teachers are generalists, except for library, and spec ed. Therefore they can teach music and gym - there are no specialty teachers. However school does try to take advantage of staff that have special talents.
● Classes are organized based on projections by the planning department. If there are changes, administration advocates for more staff. iv. Sports learning accessibility - Competitive mentality versus a learn to play mentality
● Carry forward to next meeting v. School Improvement Planning
3. Other Updates (6:50pm to 7:10pm) a. Andrea Maugham:
i. Spiritwear
● Has been distributed. Profit $1100.
● Bowmore community Fund - for students to participate in council related events - carnival etc. ii. Grad Committee
● Dec 4th in person meeting. Grad cruise has been booked for end of June. iii. Paul Davis: Social Networking Safety, Friday, March 1, 2024
● Grades 4-6, 7-8, parents in the evening. Hosted by council. b. Leah Jarvis: i. Bookfair
● Last week of Jan to tie in with family literacy day. Whole week of literacy activities planned ii. Snuggle Up and Read
● Will be tied into Literacy week. Storytelling in gym K-2, and different workshops and activities iii. Prologue Theater
● Each division has one performance booked. Grade 6 author visits booked (adaptation of play Hannah’s Suitcase), other authors also in the process of being booked.
● Council funded all of these programs - V. Logue
4. Call for volunteers (7:10pm to 7:20pm) a. Tech support for holding hybrid meetings
● Set-up tonight seems to have worked well. Feel free to email council with feedback. b. By-Laws Committee
● TDSB has requested that they be reviewed and re-submitted. Email council if you can volunteer c. Pre-winter break hot chocolate
● Email council if you can volunteer. Prepare and hand out hot chocolate. One idea is to have older students run it - A. Winstl 5. Upcoming dates to note (7:20pm to 7:25pm)
a. Next Pizza Lunch - Friday, December 15, 2023. Deadline to order is the Sunday before.
● Ideally need 15 parents to volunteer. If interested in helping out email council. Profit from last pizza lunch - $1800 b. Next School Council Meeting - Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 6:00pm 6. Final Questions/Comments? (7:25pm to 7:30pm)